


Which Way The Wind Blows

by Picklefinster



Category: Destiny (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Depression, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Romance, Suspense, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2018-11-10 03:43:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11119197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Picklefinster/pseuds/Picklefinster
Summary: "For as long as I could remember, my happiness drifted on a boat with holes in its sail..."





	1. Opening

For as long as I remember, my happiness drifted on a boat with holes in its sail. Since my revival into this once beautiful world, my memories flowed without a sense of emotion, thus leaving me without the notion to feel for others. Searching for these feelings were no easy task, it was as if I were learning to walk again. I let these emotions come naturally, one day again I would feel them once more… I was patient then. When my adventures took me to the Hellmouth, my searching for these once kinder emotions took a major turn. It was all about survival then, but something within me kept searching for those emotions, instead of finding the true nature of happiness, the Hellmouth brewed a concoction of bitterness, fear and hate. As each of my fire-team members fell to the Hive spawn, a fourth was stirred into the brew… Sadness.  
-Diary fragment 1. Source: Morn, Eris. Class: Hunter. CORRUPTION PLEASE STANDBY.


	2. Prologue

“Eris…” A voice, faint and calm beckoned in the high wind. Blurry and slurred was her vision, the woman turned from the fog that laid below her and to the call of a hand. A hand that branched out toward her in an attempt to retrieve. The woman looked toward the hand and saw nothing but the soft finger tips in which it owned, nothing beyond the palm. Such a sight brought disorient to the woman as her heart began to speed up in pace.   
“Come to me.” The voices took over at this point, the calming and soothing sound of a person once familiar turned raspy and unpleasant; at an instant the woman’s skin became that of gooseflesh and her eyes wide and glossed over like a deer in headlights. The eyes staring at nothing more than the hand which remained unchanged. As such this woman’s mind became numb to the situation, as if trying to await the ordeal to pass like a bad cough, but the patience was wearing thin with each second as voices coming by the fives and tens began to infiltrate her mind. They had always told her horrid things, of people who would suffer and the becoming of ghastly creatures only the darkness would bore, but this time the voices directed towards her… Telling her to jump. So intimidated and frozen with fear, trapped within herself unable to recoil. It was then the hand that had branched out to her had inched closer to her being and the instinct to escape was much stronger than resistance. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing emerged; her legs powered by instinct began to run and eventually growing numb in the wind as she plummeted like a bird of game shot from the sky.


	3. Chapter 1

She awoke in a cold sweat, springing upward. In heavy heaves, Eris scanned her surroundings in an attempt to find something or someone. Eris jumped from her bed and to the door, she instantly stopped midway and regurgitated onto the floor. She cradled her aching stomach as she kneel down beside her upchuck lightly sobbing.  
“Eris!” The Warlock Vanguard, Ikora Rey, rushed by the ailing woman’s side. Eris clung onto the Warlock, staining her nightgown with darken ooze.  
“Eris, are you alright?” Ikora near cradled the Hunter like a child. “You had that dream again didn’t you?” Eris nodded into the Warlock’s shoulder, too shaken up for words. Ikora helped Eris to her feet and escorted her away from the pile of bile that almost made contact with her feet. “I’ll have a frame clean that up, don’t worry.”  
“I-I am sorry…” Eris said between tears.  
The Vanguard patted the Hunter’s shoulders assuring her that an apology was not needed; placing her at the kitchen table, she plucked a tissue from the dispenser by the sink and offered it to the weeping woman. Eris hesitantly took the tissue and wiped the snot from her nose. Ikora sat in the chair adjacent to Eris’; staring at the Hunter, she could not help but sympathize for the poor woman, begin held prisoner for years and losing all she holds dear.  
They sat there a while fiddling their fingers, giving small glances at each other. Soon enough, Ikora’s dorm bell had rung. “Ahem, excuse me a moment Eris.” Ikora stood to answer the late night caller before Eris had the chance to speak.  
“Ikora!” The loud drunken noise of the Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6, echoed throughout the apartment. He stumbled in, clothes stunk of alcohol that clearly missed his mouth; he held up a small take-out container, offering it to Ikora. “Here, leftovers.” Ikora declined the offer for ‘leftovers’. “So Eris,” He started. “How’ve you been after that whole Hive Ritual shit?”  
“Cayde!” Ikora snapped at the intoxicated Exo.  
While the two Vanguards scolded and damned each other, Eris remained unmoved. She thought of that question, despite how crude it was, having never realized how she felt after that horrid ordeal. She could not piece together the emotions and feelings, she could only remember the agony of it and even then was it something she was unclear of. Eris turned her head to the bickering two, she knew they were talking about her, discussing her incident, a very sensitive subject among the Vanguard. To Eris, it seemed to impact Ikora the most; although Ikora never experienced such a ghastly ceremony, Eris could not object that Ikora didn’t feel the urge to safeguard her after prying her from the grips of darkness a second time.  
Eris broke from her trance to realize the bickering had ceased and Cayde had shut down on the couch. Ikora was quiet for a time, it made Eris uneasy whenever her Warlock friend was silent as nobody could ever pinpoint her exact thoughts. Eventually, the sounds of the kitchen faucet flowed through Eris’s ears, her body becoming numb to the noise of the endless stream of silence. Along the shroud of white noise, a desolate cry dominated, giving the sense of unease and distraught in the atmosphere.  
An urge emerged from Eris to intervene, she paused for a moment to be certain intervention was necessary and proceeded when it was needed.  
“Ikora,” The somber voice seemed to bypass the weeping but not enough to end it. The tri-eyed woman rose from her seat and stepped toward the sink. The Hunter’s bare hands draped over the Warlock’s nude shoulders and absorbed their warmth. It was then the Warlock’s weeping turned to choking sobs, her body almost devoid of all energy, making her feeble.  
“I’m sorry…” A faint cry spoke.  
Eris looked on confused and curious. Ikora, using whatever form of power that was willing to stay within her, reached and grasped Eris’s cold touch and gripped with the limited amount of force she still bared. “It was all my fault you endured such a catastrophe, I brought you suffering…”  
Eris’s lips, sticky from exposure, parted to speak but the hysterics from the Warlock continued.  
“Everyone blames me…” She paused to heave. “As if it weren’t enough that you were captured but you were…” The word would not dare pass her lips, it was such a painful word no matter how many times it was used, but it never once effected Eris for a reason unknown.  
“Enough,” Eris’s voice was stern but reassuring.  
“I never would have expected such a thing to happen.”  
“Ikora─”  
“I thought I got you killed─”  
“Enough!” Eris snapped at the woman who only seemed to make herself liable to the actions committed. Nobody, not even Eris had ever seen Ikora in such a depressing state, so broken down by something that was completely unexpected. She did not know how to calm the excited Vanguard from such a mindset. A simple forgiveness would never buy Ikora to stop condemning herself to the blame. Instead Eris had to think like Ikora, how could she snap her from this dread?  
“Ikora,” Eris spoke after a while of silence. “If you wish to rid yourself of this depressive state, perhaps you would be obligated to earn my forgiveness?” Eris was not the kind to expect favors or receive apologies and certainly was not the one to forgive, but for Ikora, it was something a little more; something that kept their relationship bound together… A trust.  
“Please Eris, let me make this right for you, let me undo my doing.”  
Eris then held Ikora close slipping a quick answer to the Warlock.  
“Granted.”


	4. Chapter 2

The Tower had been its normal quiet atmosphere, business as usual. Eris’s return held no ceremony, nor applause, as if she had never left in the first place. Eris’s position at the edge of the Tower to conduct her business worried Ikora, as do to her recent night terrors, but Eris assured that all was fine to the Warlock. The Hunter thus continued to spread the word of Crota’s awakening and that a raid against the Moon was all worthwhile; but then again, just as before, her business was slow as nobody wanted to risk taking on a Hive God. All in all, it was Eris alone with her thoughts and the stray voices who jumped along for the ride. The lone Hunter leaned against the railing, holding the ghastly emerald orb against her person as if it were treasure. While her sight failed her, her hearing was impeccable and almost every sound to be heard around the Tower Plaza came to her before much of anyone else.

The ‘Special Orders’ had come today, she could hear Tess Everest punching in the information to each individual package as well as her mumbling to help herself keep up with the overwhelming amount of orders.  Eris gave a slight chuckle at the  Awoken woman, for  some reason it amused her to hear  such bustling behavior  come from a single  person .

“Eris!” A voice called from not too far. It was Tess, quite possibly seeing Eris distracted by who knows what. She knew the Hunter did nothing all day but stand and stare at her orb. Perhaps she thought,  _this will keep_ _her busy._

Eris jerked her head to the Special Orders kiosk, heart jumping when she heard someone other than Ikora call her for once. She must’ve assumed Tess beckoned her over with some hand gesture, so at that thought, she walked over quiet and curious.

“Good, you heard me.” Tess said, relieved at the sight of possible help. “Could you do me a favor since I still have my hands full with these orders?” 

“Depends on my task.”

“If you could send this package over to the Crucible Quartermaster for me,” She planted a sizable box on the counter of the kiosk, its contents jumbled around within. “It would mean a lot if you could do me the favor.”

“…Couldn’t you find someone else?” Eris seemed reluctant to even consider carrying such a heavy looking item.

Tess gave a small sigh. “Usually I have a Frame or Guardian do the carrying around but all the Frames are having a routine system check today and tomorrow and it’s a slow day, so Guardians aren’t as frequent as they come.”

Eris had nothing against Tess, but physical work other than gathering Hive intelligence was something she seemed to dread. “I have to watch my ship…”

“I’ll watch it, I doubt it’ll go anywhere.”

“My Relic─”

“I’ll guard it for you.” Eris’s excuses were no more. She had no choice.

Eris handed the glowing green relic to Everest, who smiled in return. “I’ll be back I guess… Do not drop that relic.”

Tess’s smile was reassuring. “I won’t, you can count on me.”

The Hunter picked the package up in arms and toted it down to the Hall of Guardians, muttering curses with each step. Eris inched down each step leading to her destination, in fear she might miss a step and fall, but luck was on her side today. 

The Hall of Guardians was competitive paradise, all Guardians from every corner of the system came here to pledge their allegiance to none other than the Crucible himself, Lord Shaxx. The man was practically built of fire tested iron with the might of fifty bulls in rage with a heart of gold that shimmered in pride. He noticed Eris walking past with the large package she struggled with and immediately jumped in to assist. 

Shaxx stopped the Hunter, who made it obvious that she did not want to be stopped just feet before her goal. “Pardon me, but this looked awfully heavy, mind if I help you?” He asked.

Eris smiled about to hand the package over but quickly turned back into the direction of the Quartermaster, brushing off Shaxx’s offer. She dropped the package off on the Quartermaster’s counter and began to walk back to her post at the railings.

Shaxx placed a hand on her shoulder to pause her travel back to Tess; He cleared his throat before speaking. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am—"

"Lord Shaxx."

Shaxx paused a moment before continuing. "Yes," He chuckled. "Perhaps more people know of me than I thought originally." Shaxx noticed Eris's face which looked back at his, completely uninterested by his enthusiasm, he coughed to grab her attention back. "—And you're Eris Morn, you're the one who survived the Hellmouth for all those years?" 

Eris stared back at him, a mixture of emotions began to rush to her face, swelling her eyes and biting her inner cheek. She'd begun to block out those feelings of the Hellmouth with help from Ikora, but the images of her former fireteam meeting their demise was enough to break her structure with guilt. Eris knew she was strong to overcome these episodes of depression, but how strong, was a question that lingered at the back of her head every day. All of a sudden, she felt small and feeble, she needed to hide. This instinct was great, too great, her heart running a mile a minute something she was quite used too. It was at that second, she began to run. She ran so fast away that it took Shaxx a moment to realize she was already running up the stairs. He wanted to run after her, he too began to feel a wrong was done in his action that he perhaps was not aware of at first.

Shaxx had felt a presence rush up from behind him, the sight of the rushing figure was like that of Eris, almost unnoticeable. He could hear the figure shout: "Eris!" It was then that Ikora had registered in his mind. The whole situation had been a blur to the man, he exhaled a bit anxious deciding his next action, he thought perhaps Eris could use the space for now. Shaxx thought he was wrong, maybe he could do more, he wanted to help the newly acquainted woman in some way or form for a reason he was unsure of, but he was sure he would soon speak to her again, maybe in a new fashion with different words. This was something to sleep over.

Dazed and frightened was Eris, she had stopped her frantic running at the lounge in the Tower Hanger, she was next to Ikora who held her tight on one of the available couches as a mother would to her child, consoling her. Others there glanced on, almost pitying the tri-eyed woman for the extreme anxiety episode she was experiencing. Seeing Eris cling for dear life onto the Warlock Vanguard was too painful to watch, her previous screaming upon entering the lounge was dumbed down to mere mumbling and sobbing, which some of the loungers considered to be an improvement, but overall thought was pathetic... But what did Ikora care? She cared all too much, perhaps it was she knew Eris a bit more than any other in the Tower or that she hated to see such a sad existence. Whatever the reasoning, she felt compelled to assist Eris in these dark times. The warlock knew she was in a rough situation after Eris's second arrival in the Tower, she was exhausted with dealing with Eris. Her late-night therapy sessions, calming her in the wee hours of the morning, making sure Eris was eating and bathing, trying to improve her friend's overall health as well as keeping herself in good health along with working in her own position as a Vanguard. As much as she would want to go back to work and sleep at night, Eris remained as her top priority, she knew letting Eris go on her own right now would mean devastation for the both of them. It wasn't as if she could just pass her on to another and make Eris someone else's problem, because nobody else would deal with it. She was crazy enough to take on this severe case of depression and trauma, but she knows she cannot do this forever, she must think about her own wellbeing. 

Ikora often used the phrase: "If she's happy, I'm happy." To explain to others why; Why she often sits with Eris when she cries, why she goes days without sleep, why she often fights with others for the sake of Eris. In her mind, there is no happiness when Eris is unhappy. 

After all, she made a promise.


	5. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, finally finished this chapter after so long! Just to let you all know I'm always open for constructive criticism, it helps. :)

By weeks end, the horrific encounter between Shaxx and Eris had been near forgotten; unfortunate for Ikora, the horrid was starting to take its toll. 

The Warlock dragged her feet to her post in the War Room, the large stockpile of books she carried made the trip that much worse. Almost immediately, her colleagues took notice.

" _Yeesh_ _Ikora_ _,"_  Cayde took no time expressing his thoughts. "You look like you've been hit by a train and then while suspended in mid-air was hit by a jump ship."

Ikora's dead eyes shot daggers at the exo, it took her a moment before finally speaking. " _Gee_ , Thanks." The sarcasm in her voice along with the grizzly aggravation almost made Cayde sorry to even speak...  _Almost._

Zavala kept to himself, he wasn't like Cayde to outright share his concerns about another unless it was more serious, but also, he did not want backlash from his fellow Vanguard so early in the morning, it wasn't his say anyway. Although, it was difficult for him to keep his silence when every so often he'd hear a soft snore come from Ikora with the snapping of Cayde's fingers following soon after to awake her from her sleep. Cayde on the other hand, found some sort of amusement seeing Ikora sleeping and standing at the same time; his urges to send a marker tip to her face was almost too much for him to resist. His better judgement got the better of him though, and tried to help her stay awake. While the two seeing Ikora sleeping on the job was humorous, it reached its peak when she almost tilted forward and smacked her face against the edge of the table. It was then, Zavala finally spoke.

"Ikora, you need some rest, standing here isn't the most beneficial place to sleep." 

"Especially since you almost cracked that pretty head of yours open!" Cayde added.

Zavala let out a soft sigh at Cayde's statement. "In agreement to Cayde, this lack of sleep is not healthy, it's affecting your work as well."

Ikora, groggy and half asleep, nodded at Zavala. "I know, it's just..." She paused to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Eris has kept me up all week, she has night terrors."

"Eris?" Cayde asked. "She's the one with the three eyes, right?" He pointed to his face, trying to point out that she had more eyes than the average man.

"She's also the only Hellmouth survivor," Ikora stated. "Eris has been through a lot, she almost died herself then nearly gets exiled from the Tower."

"But you must understand she is not your responsibility, Ikora." 

"I helped her stay here, Zavala." Ikora near defensive. "If I didn't step in, who knows what would've happened to her!" Her exhaustion took Zavala's words and twisted them into something negative, which bothered the Titan. Zavala bit his tongue, trying to think of his next words carefully, this was not a time of argument. His train of thought was cut off by Cayde.

"Zavala is right in a sense, Ikora." Cayde butted in. "Yes, it was great, you saved some creep from being thrown back into the wilderness; but like he said she is not your problem, you can't baby this woman just because she cries over a loss, if that's the case why isn't anyone babying Levante after she lost her family? Heck, why isn't anyone holding Banshee, I mean the guy got wiped forty-four god damn times and lost his wife to that war cult!" Cayde's voice was loud and quite angry. "Where are their hugs, Ikora?" 

"Cayde!" Zavala's voice was stern enough to stop the exo's rant.

The whole room heard Cayde and stared on awaiting Ikora's response. After a long pause, Ikora spoke. "I sympathize with them Cayde, I truly do, but I just cannot leave Eris to stand by herself it doesn't seem right to do that in my mind."

"While I do agree with Cayde on you constantly babysitting, perhaps he is not entirely correct on where you stand with Ms. Morn." Zavala walked over to Ikora and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I understand your feelings for Eris, you by now must know her better than anyone she had known in a long while, but constantly going to her side to console her isn't helping anyone."

Ikora looked to Zavala; perhaps he was right, it was like caring for a child and jumping to their aid whenever they cried. She thought of herself and her situation, her sleepless nights without break and the consequences they would bring if she continued... But then Eris appeared again, how would she cope without that tender love Ikora had given her since day one? 

"Ikora, are you okay?" Zavala lightly shook her shoulder to knock her out of her deep thoughts.

The Warlock took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Y-yes, I'm fine, it's just..." Her demeanor seemed upsetting. "How will she cope?" She asked unsure. "She's only known me to help her in her dark times."

Zavala's voice was kind and assuring. "You don't have to cut her out of your life completely, but let her deal with her problems herself so she doesn't have to rely on you every second of the day."

Hearing those words sent relief through Ikora, she had valued Eris before herself and while this idea might be difficult to execute at first, she had the feeling it was worthwhile. 

"So, in the meantime Ikora," Zavala slipped his hand from her shoulder. "Try to resist the urges, it'll make this plan a lot easier."

"Now that that problem is out of the way, can we please get Shaxx to stop messaging me about the three-eyed woman?!" 

Zavala and Ikora looked at Cayde puzzled. "Why?" Ikora asked with a chuckle. "What is he saying to you?"

Cayde picked up his tablet at started reciting the messages to the two. "He keeps asking: 'Do you know anything of that three-eyed beauty in the plaza?'" His voice was deep to sound similar to Lord Shaxx's.

Zavala and Ikora laughed lightly. "Not exactly poetic." Said Ikora.

Cayde's tablet received another message. "Look!" He exclaimed, giving a small tap to his device. "He sent another one!" 

"I didn't know Shaxx had eyes for a woman." Zavala continued his chuckle.

Frustrated, Cayde shut off his tablet. "Can one of you  _pu_ _h_ _-leease_ _,_  tell him to stop talking to me about this woman?" He held his hands together in hopes they would comply. "I'm so tired of seeing messages about his weird fantasies, it's what the kids these days call it 'TMI'."

"I'm going to have a word with Eris later, I'll swing by Shaxx afterwards."

"Thank you!" Cayde couldn't be more grateful.

As the pleading from the exo came to a close, Zavala turned back to Ikora. "In all seriousness Ikora, please be mindful of my words." He said. "Things will get better with time, I promise you that."

" ** _Shaxx_** , don't you have Crucible matches to spectate or something?!" Cayde shouted from the War Room.

Zavala and Ikora once again shared in a laugh before turning to each other a last time. "Don't worry old friend, I'll keep your words handy." 

~

The evening came sooner than expected, Ikora had decided to end her studies early. She didn't carry her large stack of journals and notes as she did that morning; it was her night off and she was going to enjoy it any way possible, but first... Shaxx. 

As usual, the Lord of the Crucible sat at his quarters spectating Guardians in the famous blood sport, perhaps this conversation wouldn't take up too much of his time. 

"Shaxx," Ikora interrupted the man from his deep concentration. His head tilted up to somewhat face the Warlock. "Might I speak to you for a moment?"

"Just a minute Ikora," He looked back to the screen displaying the occurring Crucible match. "This Hunter is about to end it all!" 

"Please..." She barely took long to continue. "It involves Eris Morn."

The Titan shot his head up from the screens and then immediately the rest of his body stood up and rushed over to the Warlock. "Why, what's the matter?" He held his hands to his chest. "Is she hurt?!" 

Ikora held her hands up from his excitement and worry. "No, she's fine," She placed her hands gingerly on his fists that stayed stiffened to his chest plate. "I just wanted to talk about the other day with you both."

"Oh yes, please tell her I'm sorry..." He lowered his hands with hers and rushed behind his desk to retrieve something. "Please give her this." He handed her an envelope with a small plush doll. 

Ikora retrieved the gifts. "This is very nice of you to think of her so highly as to buy her gifts." She held the items at her side. 

"I would've given them to her if she were here today."

"She wasn't working today?" Ikora sounded almost surprised.

"None from what I know of, perhaps she was still upset from the other day..." Shaxx's tone began to become self-loathing. "It was stupid of me."

"Shaxx, we all make mistakes, and I doubt anyone would've known she would react like she did." 

"Please though, tell her I'm sorry."

Ikora smiled. "I promise." She was about to turn when she remembered Cayde. "Also, Shaxx,"

The Titan looked up.

"Go easy on the messages with Cayde, he was throwing quite the hissy fit before in the War Room... Not that Zavala and I didn't enjoy it." 

"Heh, I heard him yell at me a few times over it, it's funny when a grown man's voice is high pitch."

Ikora laughed as she couldn't agree more. "I hope to see you here tomorrow Shaxx."

"Like always, I'll be here." He waved as she departed to the dorms.

~

The sun dimmed over the mountains, casting its shadows over the city, it was the sign of the ending day and all was calm and peaceful. Ikora wasted no time heading to her dorm, she couldn't wait to rest her head, she couldn't wait to sleep. The Warlock opened the front door to a pitch-black apartment, she wouldn't have even known anyone was there if it wasn't for three glowing green eyes staring back at her from the kitchen. 

"Eris, there you are," Ikora turned the room lights on, shedding some light on the Hunter who sat at the kitchen table. "How are you?"

The Warlock did not receive a response. "I have a present for you," She walked over and placed the envelope and doll before Eris. "Actually, it was Lord Shaxx who wanted me to give them to you, he was worried that you weren't at work today."

The Hunter finally spoke, hunched over the table with her hands stationed by her mouth, almost contemplated. "He was worried so he purchased me children's toys?".

"No, it's an apology gift from the incident that happened a week ago." Ikora sat in the chair across from Eris. "He wanted to give them to you personally, but you weren't at work today." 

Eris stayed silent and remained unmoved. 

"The question stands Eris; why weren't you working today?"

Eris remained silent until she felt fit to answer. "I was working."

"That's not what Shaxx said."

"What does he know?"

Ikora turned her head slightly, and gave a light sigh. "Alright, if you were working, why aren't you still at work?" Ikora asked. "You work till midnight, it is—" Ikora stopped to check the wall clock. "Eight twenty-seven in the evening."

Eris knew she was caught in a lie, her fingers curled in nervousness. She needed a quick way out. "I left my Guardian packages here."

"Look Eris, we can do this the easy way by you telling me what is wrong, or..." Ikora slumped back in her seat. "We can do this the hard way."

"What I do is none of your business." Eris scowled. 

"Actually, it is my business; I saved you from exile, took you into my Hidden, welcomed you to my home..." She noticed Eris's scowl become more neutral. "Lastly, I took a promise for you, it's like a blood oath to me Eris." Ikora sat straight. "Now please, answer my question."

Eris leaned back in her chair, trying not to keep eye contact with Ikora and instead focusing on the doll. "I was working today but I felt very sick not long in and I, in simple terms, threw up at my post." Eris felt her throat, as if feeling the burn of the bile that escaped her some time ago.

"Are you alright?"

Eris shook her head lightly, tapping her index finger on the table. "I went to the infirmary right after, the doctor there asked some questions and he ran a few tests... He said it might be a stomach virus." Her hands rested on her lap. "I hope it might be a stomach virus."

"When will you get your results back?"

"Tomorrow... The day after tomorrow?" Eris spoke in mystery as if she herself didn't know.

Ikora stood up and went to Eris, placing her hand at her back. "Well, don't worry so much, at least you have an admirer." She pointed at the gifts, still untouched on the table.

Eris now curious, picked the doll up and examined it with her poor vision, and quickly returned it next to the envelope.

"Don't you want to read the letter at least?" Ikora asked, reaching for the note.

"Read it to me?"

Ikora complied and removed the letter from its covering. She then cleared her throat. 

" _Dear Eris,_

_I am writing this letter to formally apologize for my behavior during our last meet. I was unaware of the horrific damage that was brought on by certain_ _words or phrases._ _All week I had tried to personally give my apologies face to face, but was afraid to upset you._ _So_ _as this letter implies_ _my_ _regret, it will also state my feelings of attraction for you_ —"

"Stop." Eris held her hand up to signal the end of the speech.

"It's not done yet."

"Yes it is." Eris stood up from the chair and began walking to the bedroom.

"Eris..." Ikora followed Eris into the bedroom, where she had begun readying herself for sleep.

"All he should've done was apologize, not make it pathetic." Eris pulled back the bed comforter. "If he truly wanted to have  _something_  with me, it will have to be with more than a few sappy words and a children's toy." She removed her eye bandage and placed it on the night stand before laying down in the bed. 

Ikora sighed at the Hunter's ignorance and refusal for affection. She wanted to speak, but knew it was fruitless to argue. Instead she asked a small request. "Mind if I sleep in the bed too?"

Eris moved her body away from the bed's center to allow space for Warlock friend, who immediately changed into her nightwear. Ikora laid in bed, didn't cover herself with the heavy comforter to keep her warmth.

"Goodnight Eris." Ikora granted after situating herself comfortably.

"As to you, Ikora." 


	6. Chapter 4

The night was cold, it crept up on Ikora and tickled her smooth and sensitive skin that remained bare to its touch. Instinctively, her body moved towards warmth, which was not far. Her body clung to it, caressed it. It was then she began to dream, she dreamt of Eris when she granted her rare affections, her breathing slow and her arms tight around her put Ikora at ease. She could hear the hunter's voice... 

"Ikora..." 

The sound was like music to the warlock, it gave her a strong feeling of ecstasy as they both began to entwine with each other like a knot… The joy in it was peacemaking. 

All the while in reality, the hunter was no longer at the warlock's bedside. She was no longer in the dorm. 

Eris had received a call from the commander himself, it was urgent and far too important to pass up. The Tower at this hour is what one would call dead, barely a Guardian in sight but that didn't matter to the Hunter. The War Room was still lit casting its lights like a beacon and standing in his usual place was Zavala and a six-man fireteam at his side. 

"Ah, good," The Titan noticed the Hunter as she walked in. "Eris please, I'd like you to meet Fireteam 'Courage of Stars', they have heard your call for help against the threat on the moon and have answered." 

An Exo approached Eris, her armor and willingness to near her made it clear she was a Warlock and also the clan's leader. "We know only so much information on the Hive, we hope with your knowledge and guiding hand we can put an end to Crota, and perhaps stop the Hive for now." 

Eris stopped to look at the Warlock, something familiar about her. "I appreciate you all taking your time in addressing such an issue to the system, this task will not be easy and might very well cost you your lives." 

A Hunter from the group stepped forward. "It's a chance we're willing to take!" His light seemed strong, but how strong? Eris wouldn't know; she gazed at the rest of the fireteam and saw her own, their mannerisms and determination were not far off from how they acted back in the day. She looked back to the Warlock and nodded her head. 

"If you are willing to shoulder the risk, I will teach you all that I know and in time I hope that you can conquer the beast that waits for you on the moon." 

"I feel we are more than capable, these Guardians are some of the strongest I've ever fought alongside." The Warlock said looking back and admiring the team she had brought together. "I swear on my Ghost, as my team can, that Crota will be vanquished." 

"Then let us begin, time is short and there is so much to do." 

The clan's leader cued the group to make way to the former hunter's ship that positioned itself at the edge of the Tower. Before Eris joined them, she turned to the Commander. 

"Did you gain permission from Ikora and Cayde before allowing their own to take on such a challenge?" She asked him. "I'm sure they would like to advise them on their journey." 

The Commander reached for a few documents before addressing Eris. "I've read over your reports and diary entries to this Hive Threat, I believe I'm doing you a favor in putting my own neck out on the line..." He offered her the reports. "I am going against protocol and bypassing permission and procedure to ensure this threat is neutralized before matters become worse." 

Eris seemed surprised. "It's foolish to go against The Speaker, regardless of his view of me I at least show him the respect of following orders." Her voice was stern. "I also never expected you to go against his will, you're like his pet." 

Zavala walked over to the hunter. "I'm doing this for the sake of the people, for this city, the longer we wait the quicker the Darkness is knocking on our door." His tone of voice mimicked her own, stern and unforgiving. "As for The Speaker, of course I respect him he is a brother to me and a father of the people, but he also is not wise when it comes to situations such as this, he is unaware of the damage the darkness has whipped us with he only goes on speculation." 

"If that is indeed true then my condolences go to the city for their belief in a false profit," Eris turned to leave but paused in her place. "Also, Commander," 

Zavala gave her his attention. 

"If this becomes a regular thing with you, I advise you to pick and choose your battles carefully." Her voice seemed emotionless. "I say this because, like Crota he uses his power to abuse others, although I am not certain it will actually happen I'd watch The Speaker and how he distributes his power... Gods don't take kindly to others prohibiting their visions." Eris began to walk to her ship, there she would commence the team for a battle in which they had never fought before. 

Zavala stood still, her words were of pure blasphemy. The Speaker was of good mind and heart, and nothing in Zavala's mind convinced him otherwise; no brother of the light would dare go against his own at the cost of others. The Commander scoffed at Eris as she left, perhaps in his mind he believed he had helped her when she least deserved it but then again... The city was also on the line. A give and take one might say... A give and take.


End file.
